Essential Literature Flashcards
William Shakespeare wrote a tragedy about a Prince, who seeks revenge after his father’s ghost reveals that Claudius, his uncle, murdered him and took the throne Mc’s feigned madness leads to chaos, including the deaths of Polonius and Ophelia. In a final duel, Mc, Claudius, Gertrude, and Laertes all die, leaving Denmark in turmoil.
Hamlet
This play by Sophocles is a Greek tragedy about a King, who seeks to rid Thebes of a plague by uncovering the murderer of the former king, Laius. As he investigates, he discovers that he unknowingly killed Laius—who was his biological father—and married his mother, Jocasta. Horrified, Jocasta takes her own life, and the king blinds himself in despair before going into exile.
Oedipus Rex
This play is a tragedy by William Shakespeare about a Scottish nobleman driven by ambition. After three witches prophesy that he will become king, the nobleman, encouraged by his wife, murders King Duncan and takes the throne. Consumed by paranoia, he kills more people to secure his power, including his friend Banquo. Guilt and madness plague both the nobleman and his Lady. Eventually, the nobleman is overthrown and killed by Macduff, fulfilling the witches’ prophecy, and Malcolm, Duncan’s son, takes the throne.
Macbeth
This novel by Herman Melville follows Ishmael, a sailor who joins the whaling ship Pequod, captained by the obsessed Ahab. Ahab is determined to hunt and kill the great white whale that previously maimed him. As the journey unfolds, the crew faces danger, madness, and Ahab’s growing obsession. In the end, the whale destroys the Pequod, killing everyone except Ishmael, who survives to tell the tale.
Moby Dick
This story by Homer is an epic poem set during the Trojan War, focusing on the Greek warrior Achilles. After a dispute with King Agamemnon, Achilles withdraws from battle, allowing the Trojans, led by Hector, to gain the upper hand. When Achilles’ close friend Patroclus is killed by Hector, Achilles returns in a rage, slays Hector, and dishonors his body. The poem ends with Hector’s funeral, highlighting themes of heroism, fate, and the brutality of war.
Illiad
This novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald follows Nick Carraway, who moves to West Egg, Long Island, and becomes intrigued by his wealthy and mysterious neighbor. The neighbor is obsessed with rekindling his past love with Daisy Buchanan, now married to the wealthy but unfaithful Tom. As the neighbor and Daisy rekindle their romance, tensions rise, leading to a tragic car accident and the neighbor’s murder.
The Great Gatsby
This novel by Miguel de Cervantes follows an aging nobleman, Alonso Quixano, who becomes obsessed with chivalric tales and reinvents himself as a knight-errant. Alongside his loyal but skeptical squire, Sancho Panza, he embarks on misguided adventures, mistaking windmills for giants and inns for castles. His delusions lead to both comic and tragic moments, as the world fails to conform to his fantasies. In the end, he regains his sanity before dying
Don Quixote
This play by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about two young lovers from feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets. Despite their families’ hatred, they secretly marry. Their plans to be together go awry when the man kills his wife’s cousin, Tybalt, and is banished. A miscommunication leads the man to believe his wife is dead, prompting him to take his own life. The woman awakens, sees her husband dead, and kills herself. Their deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families
Romeo and Juliet
This poem by Geoffrey Chaucer is a collection of stories told by a diverse group of pilgrims traveling to this area. To pass the time, they each share a tale, ranging from humorous and bawdy to moral and philosophical. Though unfinished, the work remains a vivid snapshot of 14th-century life and a cornerstone of English literature.
The Canterbury Tales
This poem by John Milton is an epic poem that tells the story of Satan’s rebellion against God and the fall of Adam and Eve. After being cast out of Heaven, Satan seeks revenge by tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, leading to humanity’s expulsion from Eden.
Paradise Lost
This play by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about love, jealousy, and betrayal. A Moorish general in the Venetian army, secretly marries Desdemona. His envious officer, Iago, manipulates him into believing Desdemona is unfaithful. Consumed by jealousy, the officer kills Desdemona, only to learn too late that she was innocent. Overcome with guilt, he takes his own life, while Iago’s treachery is exposed.
Othello
This story by George Orwell is a dystopian novel set in a totalitarian society ruled by Big Brother and the Party. Winston Smith, a low-ranking member of the Party, secretly despises the oppressive regime and begins a forbidden love affair with Julia. They attempt to rebel but are ultimately caught by the Thought Police. After brutal torture and brainwashing, Winston betrays Julia and is completely broken, ending up as a loyal follower of Big Brother.
1984
This novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts. It follows Hester Prynne, who is publicly shamed and forced to wear a scarlet “A” after bearing an illegitimate child. She refuses to reveal the father, Reverend Dimmesdale, who struggles with guilt while the vengeful Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s estranged husband, secretly torments him. In the end, Dimmesdale confesses before dying, Chillingworth withers away, and Hester lives out her life in quiet resilience.
The Scarlet Letter
This play by William Shakespeare is a play about magic, revenge, and forgiveness. Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, lives in exile on an island with his daughter, Miranda, after being betrayed by his brother, Antonio. Using magic, Prospero conjures a storm to shipwreck his enemies on the island. With the help of the spirit Ariel, he manipulates events to test their character. In the end, Prospero forgives his betrayers, frees Ariel, renounces magic, and returns to Milan
The Tempest
This play by William Shakespeare is a tragedy about a king’s descent into madness after making a fatal mistake. The king divides his kingdom among his daughters—Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia—based on their flattery. When Cordelia, his most honest daughter, refuses to flatter him, he disowns her. The king soon realizes that Goneril and Regan are deceitful and cruel, while Cordelia remains loyal. Betrayed and driven to insanity, The king is eventually reunited with Cordelia, but tragedy strikes as she is killed, and he dies of grief.
King Lear
This story by Jane Austen is a novel about love, social class, and personal growth. Elizabeth Bennet, a witty and independent young woman, initially clashes with the proud and wealthy Mr. Darcy. As they navigate misunderstandings, societal expectations, and family drama, Elizabeth realizes Darcy is not as arrogant as she thought, while he learns to overcome his pride. After overcoming their prejudices, they confess their love and marry.
Pride and Prejudice
This story by Homer is an epic poem that follows a Greek hero on his long journey home after the Trojan War. Facing trials from vengeful gods, mythical creatures, and temptations, he overcomes obstacles like the Cyclops, the Sirens, and the wrath of Poseidon. Meanwhile, his wife, Penelope, fends off suitors who assume he is dead. After years of struggle, he finally returns to Ithaca, defeats the suitors, and reunites with his family.
The Odyssey
This story by Charlotte Brontë is a novel about an orphaned girl who overcomes hardship to find independence and love. The girl grows up in a cruel household and later at a strict boarding school before becoming a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she falls in love with the mysterious Mr. Rochester, only to discover he has a secret wife. Heartbroken, she leaves but eventually returns after Rochester is blinded in a fire. They reunite and marry, with the girl finding both love and self-respect.
Jane Eyre
This story by Virgil is an epic poem that follows a Trojan prince, as he journeys to Italy after the fall of Troy to fulfill his destiny of founding Rome. Along the way, he faces divine trials, including a doomed love affair with Queen Dido of Carthage and battles against local Italian tribes. Guided by fate and the gods, the prince ultimately triumphs, securing the foundation for Rome’s future greatness.
Aeneid
This story by Stephen Crane is a novel about Henry Fleming, a young Union soldier in the American Civil War, who struggles with fear and courage. Initially fleeing from battle, he grapples with guilt and seeks redemption. After witnessing the horrors of war, he gains confidence and fights bravely, recieving a wound.
The Red Badge of Courage
This story by Harper Lee is a novel set in the racially segregated American South during the 1930s. It follows Scout Finch, a young girl whose father, Atticus, is a lawyer defending Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. Through Scout’s coming-of-age journey, she learns about justice, morality, and empathy, especially through her interactions with Boo Radley, a reclusive neighbor.
To Kill a Mockingbird
This story by Mark Twain follows the mischievous escapes of a clever and playful boy growing up along the Mississippi River. He tricks friends into whitewashing a fence, hunts for treasure with his friend Huck Finn, witnesses a murder, and gets lost in a cave with Becky Thatcher.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
This story by Tennessee Williams is a play about the clash between fantasy and reality. Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle, arrives in New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella, and Stella’s brutish husband, Stanley Kowalski. Blanche’s illusions of grandeur and fragility clash with Stanley’s raw masculinity and cruelty. As Stanley uncovers Blanche’s troubled past, tensions escalate, leading to her mental breakdown. In the end, she is taken away to a mental institution
A Streetcar Named Desire
This story by T.S. Eliot is a modernist poem that explores themes of despair, disillusionment, and cultural decay after World War I. Divided into five sections, it weaves together fragmented voices, literary allusions, and mythological references to depict a spiritually barren world.
The Waste Land
This story by Victor Hugo is a novel about justice, redemption, and social struggle in 19th-century France. It follows Jean Valjean, a former convict who seeks redemption after breaking parole, while being relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert. Along the way, Valjean helps the poor, adopts the orphaned Cosette, and gets caught up in the 1832 Paris uprising.
Les Miserables
This story by John Steinbeck is a novel about the struggles of the Joad family, who are forced to leave their Oklahoma farm during the Great Depression and migrate to California in search of work. Along the journey, they face hardship, exploitation, and loss, only to find that life in California is just as harsh.
The Grapes of Wrath
This story by Dante Alighieri is an epic poem that follows Dante’s journey through the afterlife, guided by the Roman poet Virgil and later by Beatrice. It is divided into three parts: Inferno (Hell), where he witnesses sinners suffering in different circles; Purgatorio (Purgatory), where souls atone for their sins; and Paradiso (Heaven), where he experiences divine enlightenment.
The Divine Comedy
This story by William Shakespeare is a comedy that intertwines love, magic, and mischief. The story follows four young lovers who escape into a magical forest, where they are caught in a dispute between the fairy king Oberon and queen Titania. Meanwhile, a group of amateur actors rehearses a play, and one of them, Bottom, is magically given a donkey’s head. With the help of the mischievous Puck, mistaken identities and enchantments create chaos before everything is resolved.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
This story by Joseph Conrad is a novella that explores European colonialism in Africa through the journey of Marlow, a sailor who travels to the Congo to find Kurtz, a mysterious ivory trader. As Marlow ventures deeper into the jungle, he uncovers the horrors of exploitation and the moral decay caused by imperialism.
Heart of Darkness
This story by James Joyce is a groundbreaking modernist novel that follows Leopold Bloom, a Jewish advertising agent, as he navigates Dublin on June 16, 1904. The story parallels Homer’s Odyssey, with each chapter symbolizing a different episode from the ancient epic. The novel also focuses on Stephen Dedalus, a young artist, and Bloom’s wife, Molly, whose inner thoughts are revealed in a stream-of-consciousness style. Through their experiences, Joyce explores themes of self-identity, the complexity of human consciousness, and the significance of ordinary life, all while experimenting with narrative form and language
Ulysses
This story by Voltaire is a satirical novella that follows the journey of a young man who is taught by his mentor, Pangloss, that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” After being exiled from his home and enduring a series of misfortunes, including war, natural disasters, and personal betrayals, the man struggles to reconcile Pangloss’s optimistic philosophy with the harsh realities he faces. Ultimately, he rejects blind optimism, concluding that “we must cultivate our garden,” suggesting the importance of practical action over philosophical speculation.
Candide
by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a psychological novel that follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a former student living in St. Petersburg, who plans and carries out the murder of a pawnbroker, Alyona Ivanovna, believing that her death would benefit society. However, after committing the crime, he is consumed by guilt and paranoia. Throughout the novel, Raskolnikov grapples with moral and philosophical questions about crime, punishment, and redemption. His interactions with others, particularly Sonia, a compassionate woman, eventually lead him to confess and seek redemption
Crime and Punishment
This story by Mark Twain follows Huck, a young boy who runs away from home to escape his abusive father. He teams up with Jim, an escaped slave, and the two travel down the Mississippi River on a raft, seeking freedom. Along the way, they encounter various characters and face challenges that test their moral beliefs, particularly in relation to slavery and social norms.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This story by Thornton Wilder is a play that portrays everyday life in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners. Through the lives of two families, the Webbs and the Gibbs, the play explores themes of love, marriage, family, and death. The structure of the play is divided into three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage,” and “Death.” Narrated by the Stage Manager, the play emphasizes the fleeting nature of life and the importance of appreciating the simple moments.
Our Town
This story by J.D. Salinger follows Holden Caulfield, a disillusioned and troubled teenager who has been expelled from multiple prep schools. The novel takes place over a few days as Holden wanders New York City, reflecting on his life, relationships, and his fear of growing up. He struggles with feelings of alienation and his desire to protect the innocence of children, symbolized by his fantasy of saving children from falling into the corruption of adulthood.
The Catcher in the Rye
This story is an Old English epic poem that follows the hero, a Geatish warrior, who travels to Denmark to help King Hrothgar rid his kingdom of the monster Grendel. After defeating Grendel, he also vanquishes Grendel’s vengeful mother and later, as a king, faces a dragon threatening his people. Though he defeats the dragon, he is mortally wounded and dies, leaving a legacy of bravery and heroism
Beowulf
This story by Leo Tolstoy is a novel that centers on the tragic love affair between a married aristocratic woman, and Count Alexei Vronsky. Their passionate relationship leads to scandal, social isolation, and personal turmoil. Meanwhile, the novel also follows the story of Levin, a landowner who struggles with his own personal and philosophical challenges, particularly around his marriage to Kitty.
Anna Karenina
This story by Leo Tolstoy is a sweeping epic set during the Napoleonic Wars in Russia. The novel follows the lives of several aristocratic families, primarily the Bolkonskys, the Rostovs, and Pierre Bezukhov, who navigates the turbulence of war, personal growth, and shifting relationships. Key characters such as Pierre, Natasha, and Prince Andrei experience love, loss, and spiritual transformation amidst the backdrop of Russian society and military conflict.
War and Peace
This story by Gabriel García Márquez is a multi-generational saga of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. Blending magical realism with historical and political themes, the novel chronicles the family’s rise and fall, exploring love, war, fate, and solitude. As generations repeat mistakes and face tragedies, the town eventually fades into obscurity.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
This story by Daniel Defoe is a novel about survival, self-reliance, and redemption. It follows an Englishman who is shipwrecked on a deserted island, where he spends 28 years learning to sustain himself. He builds shelter, grows food, and overcomes hardships, eventually rescuing and befriending a native he names Friday.
Robinson Crusoe
This story by Aldous Huxley is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic society where human beings are engineered and conditioned for stability and happiness. In this world, emotions, individuality, and deep relationships are suppressed through genetic manipulation, strict social hierarchy, and the use of the drug soma. The story follows Bernard Marx, an outsider who questions the system, and John the “Savage,” who was raised outside of this society and struggles to fit in.
Brave New World
This story the first part of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, follows Dante’s journey through Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. They descend through nine circles, each punishing different sins, from lust and gluttony to treachery. Along the way, Dante encounters historical and mythological figures suffering for their transgressions.
Inferno
This story by Alfred, Lord Tennyson is a narrative poem that commemorates the bravery of British soldiers during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. The poem describes how the Light Brigade, following a mistaken command, charged directly into heavy enemy fire. Despite facing almost certain death, the soldiers pressed forward with unwavering courage.
The Charge of the Light Brigade
This story by Joseph Heller is a satirical novel set during World War II that follows Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Force bombardier desperate to escape the war. He faces the absurdity of military bureaucracy, particularly a paradoxical rule that a soldier can only be relieved from combat duty if deemed insane, but requesting to leave proves sanity, making escape impossible
Catch-22
This story by Alexandre Dumas is a historical adventure novel set in 17th-century France. It follows the young and ambitious d’Artagnan as he travels to Paris to join the King’s Musketeers. He befriends the three legendary musketeers—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis—and together they become embroiled in political intrigue, duels, and a battle against the scheming Cardinal Richelieu and the dangerous Milady de Winter.
The Three Musketeers
This story by George Bernard Shaw is a play that explores themes of class, identity, and transformation. It follows Professor Henry Higgins, a linguist who makes a bet that he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl, into a refined lady simply by teaching her proper speech. As Eliza evolves, she challenges Higgins’ expectations, proving that personal dignity and independence matter more than social status.
Pygmalion
This story by William Shakespeare is a play that blends comedy and drama, exploring themes of justice, mercy, and prejudice. The story follows Bassanio, who borrows money from the merchant Antonio to court the wealthy Portia. Antonio secures the loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, agreeing to give a “pound of flesh” if he cannot repay it. When Antonio defaults, Shylock demands his bond, leading to a dramatic courtroom scene where Portia, disguised as a lawyer, outwits Shylock by arguing that he can take the flesh but not spill any blood. The play ends with Shylock’s downfall and the romantic unions of the main characters,
The Merchant of Venice
This story by Henrik Ibsen is a play that critiques societal expectations of marriage and gender roles. It follows Nora Helmer, a seemingly happy housewife who secretly took out a loan to save her husband, Torvald, and has been secretly repaying it. When her deception is exposed, Torvald reacts with anger, caring more about his reputation than her sacrifice. Realizing that she has been treated like a doll rather than an equal partner, Nora makes the shocking decision to leave her husband and children to find independence
A Doll’s House
This story by William Shakespeare is a historical tragedy that dramatizes the events leading up to and following the assassination of the Roman dictator Julius Caesar. The play explores themes of power, betrayal, and the consequences of political actions. It follows key figures such as Brutus, a noble Roman senator who is persuaded to join a conspiracy to murder Caesar, believing it will save Rome from tyranny. After Caesar’s death, Rome descends into chaos, with Brutus and Cassius facing off against Mark Antony, who seeks to avenge Caesar’s murder.
Julius Caesar
This story by Charles Dickens is a historical novel set during the French Revolution, primarily focusing on Paris and London. It follows several interconnected characters, most notably Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat who renounces his family’s title, and Sydney Carton, a disillusioned English lawyer. Darnay and Carton both love Lucie Manette, the daughter of Dr. Manette, who was unjustly imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years. As the revolution intensifies, Carton sacrifices his life to save Darnay, ultimately finding redemption
A Tale of Two Cities
This story by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a novel that helped galvanize the abolitionist movement in the United States. The story follows Uncle Tom, an African American slave, who is sold to a cruel plantation owner, Simon Legree, after his previous owner, Arthur Shelby, is forced to sell him due to financial difficulties. Throughout the novel, Tom’s unwavering faith and kindness are tested as he endures brutal treatment. The book also focuses on other characters, including Eliza, who escapes slavery with her son, and the Shelby family
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
This story by George Orwell is a political allegory that critiques totalitarianism and the Russian Revolution. The story takes place on a farm where the animals overthrow their human owner, Mr. Jones, and establish a society where they believe all animals are equal. However, as the pigs assume leadership, particularly Napoleon, they become indistinguishable from the humans they replaced, exploiting the other animals
Animal Farm
This story by Mary Shelley is a Gothic novel that tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a living being from dead tissue. However, when his creation, often mistakenly called Frankenstein, comes to life, Victor is horrified by its monstrous appearance and abandons it. The creature, rejected by society, becomes vengeful and seeks revenge on Victor for creating him and causing his misery.
Frankenstein
This story by Louisa May Alcott is a coming-of-age novel that follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War. The novel explores their personal dreams, struggles, and relationships with one another, their family, and the world around them.
Little Women
This story by Arthur Miller is a play set during the Salem witch trials of 1692, focusing on the mass hysteria and paranoia that lead to widespread accusations of witchcraft. The central character, John Proctor, is a farmer who is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams, a young woman with whom he had an affair. As the trials escalate, Proctor and others struggle to maintain their integrity in the face of injustice
The Crucible
This story by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a long narrative poem about an old sailor who recounts his harrowing journey to a wedding guest. The mariner’s ship, caught in a strange and supernatural voyage, is cursed after he kills an albatross, a bird believed to bring good fortune. The crew suffers disastrous events as a result, and the mariner is forced to endure guilt and isolation. Eventually, he learns the value of respecting nature and the interconnectedness of all life.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
This story by Albert Camus is a novel that follows Meursault, a detached and indifferent Algerian man who experiences life without any deep emotional attachments or expectations. The story begins with Meursault’s reaction to the death of his mother, which he approaches with apathy, and progresses to his involvement in the accidental killing of an Arab man. The novel explores Meursault’s trial, where his lack of conventional emotions and responses to society’s norms become his real “crime.”
The Stranger
This story by William Golding is a novel about a group of British boys stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. As they attempt to govern themselves, their society quickly unravels, descending into chaos and violence. The boys split into two factions: one led by Ralph, who tries to maintain order and civility, and another led by Jack, who embraces savagery.
Lord of the Flies
This story by Charles Dickens is a novel about an orphan, who grows up in a harsh workhouse before escaping to London. There, he falls in with a gang of thieves led by the sinister Fagin and the brutal Bill Sikes. Despite being drawn into their criminal world, the boy’s kindness and innocence attract the attention of kind-hearted individuals, including Mr. Brownlow, who helps uncover his true identity and rightful inheritance
Oliver Twist
This story by Vladimir Nabokov is a controversial novel that tells the story of Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged literature professor who becomes obsessed with Dolores Haze, a 12-year-old girl. Humbert manipulates and seduces her after marrying her widowed mother. As they travel across America, his possessive and controlling nature is exposed, while the girls own struggles remain largely hidden beneath his unreliable narration.
Lolita
This story by Arthur Miller is a tragic play that follows Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman who struggles with his fading career, unfulfilled dreams, and strained family relationships. Obsessed with the idea that success comes from being well-liked, Willy clings to illusions of grandeur while ignoring the reality of his failures. His relationship with his sons, Biff and Happy, is filled with disappointment and unmet expectations. As Willy’s mental state deteriorates, he ultimately takes his own life, believing his death will provide his family with financial security
Death of a Salesman
This story by Kurt Vonnegut is a satirical anti-war novel that follows Billy Pilgrim, a World War II soldier who becomes “unstuck in time.” The story jumps between different moments in Billy’s life, including his time as a prisoner of war in Dresden during the infamous firebombing, his mundane post-war life, and his supposed abduction by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore.
Slaughterhouse-five
This story by Chinua Achebe is a novel that depicts the life of Okonkwo, a respected leader in the Igbo village of Umuofia. Determined to reject his father’s weakness, Okonkwo becomes a fierce warrior and strict patriarch. However, his rigid nature leads to personal downfall when he accidentally kills a clansman and is exiled for seven years. Upon his return, he finds his village transformed by British colonial rule and Christian missionaries. As his world crumbles, Okonkwo struggles to resist change, ultimately meeting a tragic fate.
Things Fall Apart
This story by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe is a tragic play that follows Dr. Faust, a scholar dissatisfied with his life and knowledge. He makes a pact with Mephistopheles, the devil, trading his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures. Faust pursues love, particularly with the innocent Gretchen, whose life is ultimately destroyed by their relationship. As the play progresses, Faust seeks deeper meaning, engaging in grand endeavors and philosophical pursuits. Unlike traditional versions of the legend, Goethe’s Faust ends with the possibility of redemption
Faust
This story by Samuel Beckett is an absurdist play about two vagabonds, Vladimir and Estragon, who wait by a barren tree for a mysterious figure named Godot, who never arrives. As they wait, they engage in repetitive conversations, encounter the domineering Pozzo and his submissive servant Lucky, and struggle with boredom, memory, and the meaning of existence.
Waiting for Godot
This story by Charles Dickens is a coming-of-age novel that follows the life of its titular character from childhood to adulthood. Born into hardship, David suffers under his cruel stepfather before being sent to work in a factory. He eventually escapes to his eccentric but kind-hearted aunt, Betsey Trotwood, who helps him build a better life. Along the way, David encounters a cast of memorable characters, including the deceitful Uriah Heep, the tragic Little Em’ly, and his loyal friend Agnes Wickfield.
David Copperfield
This story by Charles Dickens is a coming-of-age novel that follows the journey of Pip, an orphan who longs to rise above his humble beginnings. After helping an escaped convict as a child, Pip unexpectedly receives a fortune from a mysterious benefactor, believing it to be from the wealthy and eccentric Miss Havisham. He moves to London, hoping to become a gentleman and win the love of Estella, Miss Havisham’s cold and beautiful ward. However, Pip eventually learns that his fortune comes from Magwitch, the convict he once helped
Great Expectations
This story by Jack London is an adventure novel that follows Buck, a domesticated dog who is stolen from his comfortable home in California and sold into the brutal world of sled dogs during the Klondike Gold Rush. As Buck endures harsh conditions, cruel masters, and fierce rivalries, he gradually sheds his domesticated ways and reconnects with his primal instincts. After forming a deep bond with a kind owner, John Thornton, Buck ultimately hears the “call of the wild” and joins a wolf pack, fully embracing his natural state.
The Call of the Wild
This story by Edgar Allan Poe is a narrative poem that explores grief, loss, and madness. It follows a sorrowful man mourning the death of his beloved Lenore when a mysterious raven enters his chamber. The raven repeatedly utters the word “Nevermore,” which the man interprets as a sign of his eternal despair. As he questions the bird about Lenore and the afterlife, his anguish deepens, leading him into madness
The Raven
This story by Emily Brontë is a Gothic novel that tells the tragic and intense story of love, revenge, and obsession. It follows Heathcliff, an orphan adopted into the wealthy Earnshaw family, and his passionate but doomed love for Catherine Earnshaw. After Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton for social status, Heathcliff becomes consumed by revenge, seeking to destroy both the Earnshaw and Linton families. His obsession spans generations, affecting the lives of their children.
Wuthering Heights
This story by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic adventure novel that follows young Jim Hawkins as he embarks on a perilous journey to find buried pirate treasure. After discovering a map in the belongings of a dying sailor, Jim joins a voyage led by Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett. However, the crew includes the cunning and charismatic Long John Silver, who is secretly plotting a mutiny to claim the treasure for himself. As the expedition reaches the island, alliances shift, betrayals unfold, and Jim must navigate danger to survive
Treasure Island
This story by Lewis Carroll is a whimsical fantasy novel that follows Alice, a curious young girl who falls down a rabbit hole into a surreal world filled with peculiar creatures and absurd logic. As she navigates Wonderland, she encounters memorable characters like the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, and the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. Throughout her journey, Alice experiences bizarre transformations and nonsensical events, challenging her perception of reality.
Alices Adventures in Wonderland
This story by William Makepeace Thackeray is a satirical novel that follows the lives of two contrasting women—Becky Sharp, a cunning and ambitious social climber, and Amelia Sedley, a kind but naive gentlewoman—against the backdrop of early 19th-century England, including the Napoleonic Wars. Becky schemes her way up the social ladder, using charm and manipulation, while Amelia remains devoted to unworthy men.
Vanity Fair
This story by Walt Whitman is a groundbreaking collection of poetry that celebrates nature, democracy, individualism, and the human experience. First published in 1855 and expanded throughout Whitman’s life, the collection includes famous poems like Song of Myself, I Sing the Body Electric, and O Captain! My Captain!
Leaves of Grass
This story by John Keats is a Romantic poem that explores themes of beauty, art, and time. Keats reflects on an ancient Greek urn, admiring the frozen scenes depicted on its surface—lovers in pursuit, musicians playing, and a sacrificial procession. He contrasts the permanence of art with the fleeting nature of human life, suggesting that while the figures on the urn will never age or fade, they are also trapped in an unchanging moment. The poem’s famous closing lines, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” highlight Keats’s belief in the transcendent power of art.
Ode on a Grecian Urn
This story by Alexandre Dumas is a tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption. It follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor falsely imprisoned for treason by jealous rivals. After years in the Château d’If prison, he escapes with the help of a fellow prisoner who reveals the location of a hidden treasure. Dantès adopts the identity of the wealthy and mysterious Count of Monte Cristo, using his newfound fortune to meticulously plot revenge against those who wronged him. However, as his vengeance unfolds, he faces moral dilemmas and the consequences of his actions.
The Count of Monte Cristo
This story by Upton Sinclair is a novel that exposes the harsh realities of the meatpacking industry and immigrant life in early 20th-century America. It follows Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant who arrives in Chicago with his family, hoping for a better life. Instead, they endure brutal working conditions, exploitation, corruption, and poverty. As Jurgis struggles to survive, he experiences personal tragedies and disillusionment, eventually finding hope in socialism.
The Jungle
This story by Tennessee Williams is a memory play that explores themes of family, illusion, and escape. It is narrated by Tom Wingfield, who reflects on his past living with his overbearing mother, Amanda, and his fragile, shy sister, Laura. Amanda clings to memories of her Southern belle past, while Laura finds comfort in her collection of glass animals, avoiding the outside world due to her physical disability and extreme social anxiety. When Tom brings home a gentleman caller, Jim, Amanda sees it as Laura’s chance for happiness, but the evening ends in disappointment. Ultimately, Tom, feeling trapped, leaves his family, though he is haunted by guilt.
The Glass Menagerie
This story by Franz Kafka is a novella about Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. As Gregor struggles to adapt to his new form, he becomes isolated from his family, who initially try to care for him but gradually grow resentful and fearful of him.
The Metamorphosis
This story by Toni Morrison is a powerful novel that follows Sethe, an escaped slave living in post-Civil War Ohio, who is haunted by the ghost of her deceased daughter. The spirit manifests as a young woman named Beloved, who arrives at Sethe’s home and becomes an embodiment of her past trauma. As the novel unfolds, Sethe’s painful memories of slavery, loss, and the lengths she went to protect her children come to the forefront.
Beloved
This story by John Steinbeck is a novella that tells the story of two displaced migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, during the Great Depression. George is intelligent and protective, while Lennie is physically strong but mentally disabled, with a deep love for petting soft things. The two dream of owning a piece of land together, but their hopes are shattered when Lennie accidentally kills a woman while trying to pet her hair. As the consequences of Lennie’s actions unfold, George is faced with a heartbreaking decision about his friend’s fate.
Of Mice and Men
This story by Victor Hugo is a novel set in 15th-century Paris, centered around the bell ringer Quasimodo, a deformed and isolated man who lives in the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Quasimodo is taken in by the kind-hearted but reclusive archdeacon Claude Frollo, who becomes obsessed with the beautiful gypsy, Esmeralda. Esmeralda, in turn, shows kindness to Quasimodo, but Frollo’s obsession leads to tragic consequences.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This story by Ernest Hemingway is a novel set during World War I and follows the story of an American ambulance driver, Lieutenant Frederic Henry, serving in the Italian army. While stationed in Italy, he falls in love with Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. Their relationship deepens amidst the horrors of war, but their love is challenged by the constant threat of death and the devastating effects of the war. After Frederic is injured and sent to recover in Milan, Catherine becomes pregnant. Despite their efforts to find happiness, the novel ends tragically
A Farewell to Arms
This story by Sophocles is a Greek tragedy that tells the story of Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, who defies the orders of King Creon, her uncle, to give her brother Polynices a proper burial. Creon had declared that Polynices, who fought against the city of Thebes, should remain unburied as punishment, but Antigone believes in the divine laws that honor the dead. Despite warnings and threats, she buries Polynices, leading to her arrest and later her death
Antigone
This story is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The stories are framed around the tale of Scheherazade, the vizier’s daughter, who tells stories to King Shahryar to delay her execution. Each night, she leaves her stories unfinished, compelling the king to spare her life for another night. The tales include a variety of adventures, including those of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin, and Sinbad the Sailor.
The Thousand and One Nights
This story by Jonathan Swift is a satirical novel that follows Lemuel Gulliver, a ship’s surgeon, on his voyages to various fantastical lands. Each of his travels exposes the flaws and absurdities of human nature and society. In the first part, Gulliver visits Lilliput, a land of tiny people, where he becomes involved in their petty political disputes. In the second part, he journeys to Brobdingnag, a land of giants, where he feels insignificant and is criticized by the king for humanity’s vices. Other parts of the novel take him to the floating island of Laputa and to the land of the Houyhnhnms, rational horses who contrast with the savage, degenerate humans
Gullivers Travels
This story by William Faulkner is a modernist novel that tells the story of the decline of the Compson family in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County. The novel is structured through four distinct sections, each told from a different perspective. The first section is narrated by Benjy, a mentally disabled man who perceives the world in fragmented and disjointed images. The second section is narrated by Quentin, a troubled and obsessive young man who becomes consumed by his sister Caddy’s loss of innocence and the family’s unraveling. The third section is told from the point of view of Jason, a bitter and resentful brother who is focused on money and control. The final section shifts to a more objective narrative voice, focusing on the present-day events as the family reaches its tragic conclusion.
The Sound and the Fury
This story by Ernest Hemingway is a novel that follows a group of expatriates in the 1920s as they travel from Paris to Spain. The story is narrated by Jake Barnes, a World War I veteran who struggles with his impotence after being injured during the war. Along with his friends—most notably the free-spirited Lady Brett Ashley—Jake navigates a life of disillusionment, seeking meaning through travel, bullfighting, and relationships
The Sun Also Rises
This story is a poem written by Friedrich Schiller in 1785 and later famously set to music by Ludwig van Beethoven in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony. The poem expresses a universal vision of unity, fraternity, and joy, celebrating the bond that connects all people. Schiller calls for an end to suffering and for humanity to embrace the idea of joy and harmony, transcending divisions of class, race, and nationality.
Ode to Joy
This story by Oscar Wilde is a satirical comedy that centers around two characters, Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing, who both lead double lives in order to escape societal expectations. Jack pretends to be “Ernest” when in London to woo Gwendolen Fairfax, while Algernon adopts the persona of “Ernest” to court Jack’s ward, Cecily. Their lies spiral out of control as misunderstandings and deceptions unfold.
The Importance of Being Earnest
This story by Gustave Flaubert is a novel that follows Emma Bovary, a young woman who marries Charles Bovary, a well-meaning but dull country doctor, in hopes of escaping her mundane life. Dissatisfied with her marriage and rural existence, Emma dreams of passion and luxury, engaging in adulterous affairs and reckless spending. Her attempts to live a more glamorous life lead to her financial ruin and eventual tragic demise.
Madame Bovary
This story by John Bunyan is an allegorical novel that follows the journey of Christian, a man who sets out from his hometown, the “City of Destruction,” to reach the “Celestial City” (heaven). Along the way, he faces numerous trials and encounters characters like Evangelist, Faithful, and Hopeful, each representing different virtues or vices. The story explores Christian’s struggles with sin, temptation, and faith as he seeks redemption and salvation.
The Pilgrim’s Progress
This story by Sinclair Lewis is a novel that critiques small-town American life in the early 20th century. It follows Carol Kennicott, a young, idealistic woman who marries Dr. Will Kennicott and moves with him to his hometown of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota. Carol is disillusioned by the town’s narrow-mindedness, conservative values, and lack of intellectual and cultural stimulation. Despite her attempts to introduce progressive ideas and reform, she faces resistance from the townspeople.
Main Street
This story by Ernest Hemingway is a novel set during the Spanish Civil War, following Robert Jordan, an American dynamiter who is assigned to blow up a bridge vital to the enemy’s supply line. As he works with a band of guerilla fighters, Robert struggles with his duties, his love for a woman named Maria, and the futility of war
From Whom the Bell Tolls
This story by Ernest Hemingway is a novella about an aging Cuban fisherman named Santiago, who has gone 84 days without catching a fish. Determined to prove his skill and endurance, he ventures far out into the Gulf of Mexico and hooks a giant marlin. For three days and nights, Santiago struggles to catch the fish, enduring physical and emotional hardship. Ultimately, he succeeds in capturing the marlin, but on his return journey, sharks devour the fish, leaving him with nothing but the fish’s skeleton.
The Old Man and the Sea
This story by Lord Byron is a satirical, epic poem that reimagines the legendary figure of Don Juan, traditionally seen as a seducer and libertine. In Byron’s version, Don Juan is not a seducer, but rather a young, innocent man who is constantly pursued by women due to his charm and good looks. The poem follows Don Juan’s numerous adventures as he is swept from one romantic entanglement to another, traveling across Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
Don Juan
This story by Sir Walter Scott is a historical novel set in 12th-century England during the time of the Norman conquest. It follows the adventures of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a Saxon knight who returns home after being disinherited by his father for supporting Richard the Lionheart. The novel weaves together themes of chivalry, romance, and conflict, featuring key characters like the noble Lady Rowena, the brave Rebecca, and the infamous Templar knight, Brian de Bois-Guilbert.
Ivanhoe
This story is a famous poem by William Blake, part of his collection Songs of Experience. The poem reflects on the mystery and awe inspired by the fearsome, powerful creature, the tiger, asking how such a fearsome being could be created by the same God who made the innocent lamb.
The Tyger
This story by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans) is a complex social and political novel set in a fictional English town during the early 19th century. The novel follows several characters, but centers around Dorothea Brooke, an idealistic young woman who struggles with her desire to make a meaningful contribution to society, her marriage to the older, disillusioned scholar Edward Casaubon, and her eventual relationship with the doctor, Tertius Lydgate.
Middlemarch
This story by Erich Maria Remarque is a powerful anti-war novel that follows a group of German soldiers during World War I. Narrated by Paul Bäumer, a young soldier, the novel depicts the brutal realities of war, focusing on the physical and emotional toll it takes on the soldiers.
All Quiet on the Western Front
This story by William Shakespeare is a pastoral comedy that follows Rosalind, the daughter of an exiled duke, who flees to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia after her father is overthrown. Disguised as a man, Rosalind meets her love interest, Orlando, and they navigate themes of love, identity, and the complexities of relationships.
As You Like It
This story by Rudyard Kipling is a collection of stories, most famously following the adventures of Mowgli, a young boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. Mowgli learns the laws of the jungle, befriends animals like Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther, and faces challenges from predators like Shere Khan, the tiger.
The Jungle Book
This story by James Fenimore Cooper is a historical novel set during the French and Indian War in 1757. It follows the story of Hawkeye, a frontiersman, and his companions, including the last surviving Mohican chief, Chingachgook, and his son Uncas. They are caught in a conflict between the British and the French forces while trying to protect the daughters of a British officer, Cora and Alice Munro.
The Last of the Mohicans
This story by Charles Dickens is a novella that tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly and cold-hearted old man who despises Christmas. One Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and three spirits—of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Through these visits, Scrooge witnesses the impact of his life and choices on others. The experience transforms him, leading him to embrace generosity, kindness, and the true spirit of Christmas.
A Christmas Carol
This story by Lorraine Hansberry is a play that centers around the Younger family, an African American family living in Chicago in the 1950s. The family struggles with issues of racial discrimination, economic hardship, and the conflicting dreams of its members. The play explores themes of identity, aspirations, and generational conflict, particularly focusing on the tensions surrounding the family’s decision to use a life insurance check to either invest in a new home or support individual dreams.
A Raisin in the Sun
This story by Washington Irving is a short story set in pre-Revolutionary America about Rip Van Winkle, a man who falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains and wakes up 20 years later to find that everything around him has changed. His friends and family have aged, and America has undergone a revolution.
Rip Van Winkle
This story by O. Henry is a short story about a poor couple, Jim and Della, who sacrifice their most prized possessions to buy each other Christmas gifts. Della sells her long hair to buy a watch chain for Jim’s pocket watch, while Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della’s hair. In the end, their sacrifices demonstrate the selfless love they have for one another, with a poignant twist about the futility of their actions in the material sense but the richness of their devotion.
The Gift of the Magi
This story by William Faulkner is a Southern Gothic novel that tells the story of the Bundren family’s journey to bury their mother, Addie Bundren, according to her wishes. Told from multiple points of view, the novel explores themes of death, family, isolation, and the emotional burdens carried by each family member.
As I Lay Dying
This story is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the Indian epic Mahabharata. It is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna, who serves as his charioteer. Arjuna faces a moral dilemma on the battlefield, unsure whether to fight in a war that involves killing his kin. Krishna imparts spiritual wisdom on duty (dharma), the nature of the self, and the path to liberation (moksha).
Bhagavad Gita
This story by Willa Cather is a novel that tells the story of Jim Burden, who reflects on his childhood growing up on the Nebraska plains and his friendship with Ántonia Shimerda, a Bohemian immigrant girl. The novel explores themes of immigration, the American frontier, and the changing lives of women, particularly Ántonia’s resilience and strength as she faces the challenges of rural life.
My Antonia
This story by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a philosophical novel that delves into the lives of the Karamazov brothers: Dmitri, Ivan, and Alexei. The story revolves around their complicated relationships with their father, Fyodor Pavlovich, a debauched and immoral man. The novel explores themes of faith, doubt, free will, morality, and the nature of good and evil, culminating in a trial over the murder of Fyodor.
The Brothers Karamazov
This story by Jean-Paul Sartre is a one-act play that examines existential philosophy, particularly the concept of “hell” as self-inflicted and shaped by human actions. The play features three characters—Garcin, Inès, and Estelle—who are trapped in a room together for eternity, unable to escape or avoid each other. They come to realize that their torment is the result of their own actions and failures in life, leading to Sartre’s famous line: “Hell is other people.”
No Exit
This story by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a lyrical poem that describes the creation of an elaborate palace by the Mongol emperor Kubla Khan in the land of Shangdu. The poem explores the dreamlike and mystical nature of this vision, juxtaposing images of grandeur with a sense of foreboding.
Kubla Khan
This story by Thomas Mann is a novel set in a Swiss sanatorium in the years before World War I. The story follows Hans Castorp, a young man who visits his cousin in the sanatorium and ends up staying for seven years. As Hans interacts with the patients and learns about life, death, and illness, he grapples with existential questions and the cultural and philosophical currents of the time
The Magic Mountain
This story by William Shakespeare is a comedic play that revolves around themes of mistaken identity, love, and disguise. The story follows Viola, who is shipwrecked in the kingdom of Illyria and disguises herself as a man named Cesario to find work in the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino sends Cesario to woo the Countess Olivia on his behalf, but Olivia falls in love with Cesario, not knowing it’s actually Viola. Meanwhile, Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, is also alive, and his arrival in Illyria leads to further confusion and comedic situations
The Twelfth Night
This story Percy Bysshe Shelley is a sonnet that reflects on the inevitable decay of human power and the impermanence of greatness. The poem describes a traveler who encounters the ruins of a once-great statue in the desert, its inscription proclaiming the king’s greatness. However, all that remains of Ozymandias’s empire is a shattered statue, emphasizing the futility of arrogance and the passage of time.
Ozymandias
This story by Jane Austen is a novel about the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who navigate love, heartbreak, and social expectations in 18th-century England. Elinor embodies “sense,” displaying rationality and restraint, while Marianne represents “sensibility,” expressing her emotions freely. The novel explores the sisters’ contrasting approaches to relationships, particularly with their respective suitors, and examines themes of marriage, social class, and personal growth.
Sense and Sensibility
This story by Oscar Wilde is a gothic novel that follows Dorian Gray, a young man whose portrait ages and shows the signs of his immoral actions while he remains physically youthful and beautiful. Influenced by the hedonistic philosophy of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian leads a life of excess, vanity, and indulgence, all while his portrait becomes increasingly corrupted.
The Picture of Dorian Gray
This story by W.B. Yeats is a modernist poem written in 1919, reflecting the chaos and instability of the post-World War I world. The poem opens with an image of a falcon flying out of control, symbolizing the breakdown of social and political order. Yeats suggests that the “centre” cannot hold, and civilization is spiraling into chaos. The poem culminates in a vision of a “rough beast” slouching towards Bethlehem to be born, which is interpreted as a dark and menacing force that will replace the existing order.
The Second Coming
This story by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is an epic poem inspired by Native American legends, particularly those of the Ojibwe and other tribes. The story follows Hiawatha, a legendary hero, as he embarks on various adventures and quests to bring peace and unity to his people.
The song of Hiawatha
This story by William Shakespeare is a comedy about the courtship and marriage of the headstrong, independent Katherina and the witty, manipulative Petruchio. Petruchio takes on the challenge of “taming” Katherina, who resists submission to the expectations of women in society. Through a series of humorous and often exaggerated situations, Petruchio asserts control over Katherina, leading to the ultimate question of whether the play presents a lighthearted romance or a critique of gender roles and power dynamics in relationships.
The Taming of Shrew
This story is an ancient Indian epic that tells the story of the Kurukshetra War between two factions of the Kuru dynasty: the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The epic explores themes of duty (dharma), righteousness, and the complexities of human nature. Central to the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita, a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna, addressing moral dilemmas and the path to spiritual enlightenment.
Mahabharata
This story by Edith Wharton is a novel set in 1870s New York, focusing on Newland Archer, a young man engaged to the beautiful May Welland. However, Newland becomes entangled in a passionate affair with May’s cousin, the scandalous Countess Ellen Olenska, who has returned to New York after a troubled marriage in Europe.
The Age of Innocence
This story by Eugene O’Neill is a semi-autobiographical play that delves into the troubled dynamics of the Tyrone family. The play takes place over a single day and reveals deep emotional and psychological conflicts. James Tyrone, a miserly, alcoholic actor, and his wife, Mary, struggle with addiction and personal regrets. Their children, Jamie and Edmund, are also grappling with their own issues, including illness and the search for meaning.
Long Days Journey Into Night
This story by Zora Neale Hurston follows the journey of Janie Crawford, a Black woman in the early 20th-century American South, as she seeks love, independence, and self-fulfillment. Through three marriages—each offering different lessons—Janie grows into her own sense of identity, ultimately finding love with the free-spirited Tea Cake.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
This story by Thomas More is a political and philosophical work that describes an imaginary island society where people live in harmony, without poverty or social injustice. More contrasts Utopia’s communal way of life with the corruption and inequality of European governments, raising questions about ideal societies and human nature.
Utopia
This story by Ralph Ellison is a novel about an unnamed Black narrator who struggles with racism and identity in America. As he moves from the South to Harlem, he encounters various social and political movements, all of which fail to see him as an individual. His journey toward self-awareness leads him to recognize that society sees him as “invisible” because of racial prejudice.
Invisible Man
This story by Walt Whitman is a long, free-verse poem celebrating individualism, democracy, nature, and the interconnectedness of all people. The poem, central to Leaves of Grass, embraces the beauty of everyday life and the human spirit, breaking traditional poetic structures with its bold, personal tone.
Song of Myself
This story by Jules Verne is a classic science fiction adventure that follows Professor Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and harpooner Ned Land as they are taken aboard the Nautilus, a futuristic submarine commanded by the mysterious Captain Nemo. As they travel through the world’s oceans, they witness incredible marine life and technological wonders while uncovering Nemo’s deep resentment toward the surface world.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
This story by Alan Paton is a novel set in apartheid-era South Africa, following Reverend Stephen Kumalo as he travels from his rural village to Johannesburg in search of his missing son, Absalom. Along the way, he witnesses the deep racial and social injustices of the country.
Cry, the Beloved Country
This story by Ray Bradbury is a dystopian novel about a future society where books are banned, and “firemen” burn any that are found. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman who begins questioning the oppressive, anti-intellectual world around him after meeting his curious neighbor, Clarisse. As he secretly starts reading, Montag’s life unravels, leading to his rebellion against the system.
Fahrenheit 451
This story by William Shakespeare is a comedy about love, deception, and mistaken identity. The play follows two central couples: Benedick and Beatrice, who engage in sharp-witted banter and insist they will never marry, and Claudio and Hero, whose love is nearly ruined by a villain’s scheme. The deceitful Don John tricks Claudio into believing Hero has been unfaithful, leading to public humiliation and heartbreak. Meanwhile, friends conspire to make Beatrice and Benedick fall in love by feeding them false information. After misunderstandings are resolved, both couples find happiness, and the play ends in celebration.
Much Ado About Nothing
This story by Bram Stoker is a gothic horror novel that follows Count Dracula’s attempt to spread his vampiric influence to England and the efforts of a group of individuals to stop him. The story begins with Jonathan Harker, a solicitor, traveling to Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, where he becomes a prisoner. Dracula eventually arrives in England and preys on Lucy Westenra, whose mysterious illness leads Professor Van Helsing to suspect vampirism. As Lucy succumbs, the group, including Harker, Mina Harker, and Van Helsing, sets out to track and destroy Dracula.
Dracula
This story by Franz Kafka is a surreal and existential novel about Josef K., a man who is suddenly arrested and prosecuted by a mysterious court for an unspecified crime. Despite his efforts to understand the charges and defend himself, he is met with endless bureaucratic obstacles and nonsensical legal proceedings. As he navigates a labyrinthine justice system filled with absurd and oppressive figures, Josef K. becomes increasingly powerless and lost in his search for answers.
The Trial
